ING Cup final - Bulls v. Warriors

[Donny]

North sets compass for final

By Scott Coghlan - Fox


DRIVEN by a new-found determination to make the most of his talent and some words of wisdom from Justin Langer, in-form West Australian batsman Marcus North is set to play a key role when the Warriors try to upset Queensland in tomorrow's final.

After playing only three limited-overs matches for Western Australia in the previous two seasons, North has blossomed as a one-day player this summer with 355 runs at 118.33 and has been in the best form of his career in both forms of the game.

Overlooked for the side thrashed by NSW in last year's final, North is expected to bat at first drop against the Bulls and credits his recent form surge to a heart-to-heart with Langer in November.

Disillusioned by his inconsistency, North, 24, approached the Test opener for advice after a disappointing Pura Cup match against Victoria.

North had always shown exceptional talent - he made a double century to help Western Australia record an extraordinary outright win against Victoria after being forced to follow-on two seasons ago - but knew consistency was a "huge problem".

Langer told North he simply needed to work harder if he wanted to become a more consistent run-scorer.

North embraced Langer's advice and has subsequently thrived. Aside from his imposing one-day form, he has scored 689 runs in six Pura Cup matches at 62.63 since the chat, as well as scoring a one-day century for Australia A against Zimbabwe.

"I wasn't really satisfied with where my cricket was going," North said this week.

"I felt I had let myself and quite a few people down last year. I could continue on getting the odd score and getting the odd game for WA, but I wanted to do a little bit more than that.

"Justin and I had a little chat about what I needed to do, and that was to work harder. It was really just trying to get back on track and work really hard on all parts of my game - fitness, batting, bowling - just to give myself the best opportunity of performing.

"I have really listened to Justin over that and that is what I have taken on.

"It is not just having the talent, you have got to work really hard at this game. The success from the work I've done has really shown."

Although he has been shuffled right through the batting order in limited-overs matches this season, North said it had helped his one-day game develop.

"I've batted everywhere in the order, from opening to No.7, which has been a great learning experience, and that has helped me mature as a one-day player," he said.

North, who could also play a role tomorrow with his spin bowling, said the Warriors welcomed the underdog status as they seek to end a lean period for West Australian cricket.

If they can cause an upset, it will be their first domestic title since they won the 1999-2000 one-day title.

Although Western Australia were crushed by Queensland at the same venue a couple of weeks ago, when the Bulls smashed a record 4-405 and won by 207 runs, North said confidence in the Warriors camp was high.

"We are happy to be underdogs and we are extremely confident," North said.

"We've been playing well in one-day cricket this year and are happy to play anywhere.

"Despite losing our last two games, the spirit in the team is great. The Brisbane game was just one of those things; we had a bad day and they had an amazing day with the bat. We're not worrying about that at all; that's one-day cricket."

Queensland skipper Jimmy Maher, who scored 187 the last time the two sides played, has recovered from a hamstring injury and is virtually certain to open the innings.

The Bulls are looking to break a run of losses by the home side in the past three finals.

Queensland: Jimmy Maher (c), Stuart Law, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, James Hopes, Chris Hartley, Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Hauritz, Scott Brant, Chris Simpson (12th man to be named).

Western Australia: Michael Hussey (c), Ryan Campbell, Ben Edmondson, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Aaron Heal, Scott Meuleman, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, Darren Wates, Paul Wilson and Peter Worthington.

Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane

Tickets: Ticketmaster7 1300 136 122; www.ticketmaster7.com

TV: Nine Network 7am & 11am (WA), 10.30am & 1.30pm (SA), 11am & 12.30pm (NT), 11am & 1pm (Qld), 11am & 2pm (NSW, Vic)

Betting: $1.50 Queensland,

$2.45 Western Australia

[Donny]

The Bulls got off to a flyer with their hundred coming up in 12 overs.

Law 950 from 40 balls) and Maher (46 from 43) took full advantage of the fielding restrictions but The Warriors have dragged it back dramatically, since.

It's 2/123 after 22 overs. Harvey has 2/16 from 5 overs and Wilson, 0/21 from 6.
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3/140 after 26. Admondson claimed Love for 21.

[Donny]

Here's a good example of why you should never drop your bundle.

After being bludgeoned for 100 runs in the first 12 overs by a team who hit them for 405 in their last encounter, they've come back with 6/115 from the next 32.4 overs. Excellent effort.

Blocker Wilson may be a veteran but his 8 overs, returning 1/32, showed his team-mates the way. Kade Harvey also dug deep for his 8 overs for 2/24.

Off spinner Aaron Heal then bowled a tight 10 overs (0/43) and Jamie North has just taken 2/13 from 2 overs.

The Bulls can still get a substantial total but The Warriors have kept themselves in this with a gutsy, middle overs, display.

245 to win the 2003/04 ING Cup for the Warriors. They'd just about have taken that at the start oif the day, if offered.

100 from the first 12 overs and 144 from the next 37.1 represents a great effort by The Warriors.
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6/233 with 4 overs to come. Wilson back on.

Another good over. 4 runs and the wicket of Hartley for 14.
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Not to be outdone, Harvey comes back on and repeats the dose. 4 runs and the wicket of Hauritz for 2. 9 overs - 3/27.
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Wilson finishes with 2/39. 3 singles and a run out from the last ball. That could well have been the last over bowled by Wilson at this level. He's been a great servant for both Sth. Australia and W.A. and played 1 Test and 11 ODIs for Australia. Well played, Blocker.
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Harvey takes the last wicket with the first ball of the 50th. over. He finished with 4/28 from 9.1 overs. Top spell.

[Donny]

The Warriors got off to a solid start with 67 from Rogers (20) and Meuleman then 44 between Meuleman (70) and North (320 but they are now facing an up hill battle with the score on 6/179 after 41 overs.

They need 66 from 54 balls.
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The ask is getting tougher. They need 45 from 24 balls.
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13 from that over helped the cause but it's still 32 needed from 18.
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An injured Hopes is called on to bowl and can only send down one ball. It goes for a four. Perren comes on to bowl the other 5 balls. 28 from 17.

Two, two and six!! The Warriors are coming. 18 from 14. Dot. Single. 15 from that over.
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17 needed. Hauritz to bowl. Two. Two more. Harvey brings up his 50 (39 balls) with a two. Single. Single. Single. Two. 9 for the over.

8 to win. Perren to bowl it. Single. SIX !! Scores are tied ! Warriors will win.

Dot. Scores level. The Bulls would win with a tie. Not to be. Harvey is undoubted Man of the Match with 53 n.o. and 2/28.

Well played the Western Warriors.

[Donny]

Harvey blazes WA to cup title

Fox

ALL-ROUNDER Kade Harvey almost single-handedly led Western Australia to a thrilling ING Cup final victory over Queensland at the 'Gabba today.

Having taken 4-28 with the ball, Harvey turned the game on its head with a blazing 53no off 42 balls to gain the visitors a four-wicket win.

WA were down and almost out at 6-173 chasing 245, but Harvey teamed with Darren Wates (29 off 27) for an unbeaten 75-run stand to get home with two balls to spare.

The pair had to score 45 runs from the last four overs and needed to eight off the last over and Wates sealed victory with a six and then four off part-time bowler Clinton Perren.

Perren was forced to bowl the last over after four team-mates, including two bowlers, fell down lame during the innings.

It was an excruciating loss for the Bulls.

"They came back from the dead, we thought we were home," Bulls skipper Jimmy Maher said.

The Bulls had been well on track to break a three-year curse of host teams losing domestic one-day finals before the last pair came together.

NSW had won the past three deciders away from home.

It seemed a fine mid-innings display of bowling on a slowish wicket would prevail after WA raced to 1-100 in the 22nd over.

Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz (2-55) had been the trump card by gaining great turn and using subtle variation to bamboozle the batsmen.

But the 47th over, which bled 13 runs, and a dropped outfield catch by Ashley Noffke that went for six was the turning point.

After opener Scott Meuleman smacked an impressive 71 from 85 balls to be 1-111, the middle order had failed to build on the good work as WA lost 5-62 and the run-rate required escalated.

But then Harvey and Wates took control.

In the Bulls injury list, Maher was forced to nurse an injured hamstring through the match while Andy Bichel and James hopes cramped up and Craig Philipson was replaced with an upper leg injury after a long chase to the boundary.

The Bulls then paid the price for some late-innings misfields with slower fielders made to cover extra ground.

Harvey had earlier taken an impressive 4-28 with the ball.

His first two wickets in Queensland's innings ended superb innings by Bulls openers Stuart Law (50 off 40) and Maher (46 off 43) when they had put on 100 in the first 12 overs.

Rookie wicketkeeper Chris Hartley enjoyed a one-day debut to remember by dismissing Meuleman with a vital stumping standing up to medium-pacer James Hopes and also the key wicket of Marcus North (32).

[Donny]

Kade Harvey could hardly have been more impressive.

His wonderful effort will go down as one of the great individual performances in a final.

53 n.o. in a match winning innings and 4/28 looks good in any one dayer but the context in which this was done makes it special.

Stuart Law and Jimmy Maher were thrashing the Warriors opening bowlers to the tune of 8 r.p.o. when Harvey came on to bowl. He dismissed them both and dramatically reduced the run rate. He came back at the death to take 2/4 from 7 balls to achieve his 4/28.

Late in the Warriors innings, The Bulls looked to have the ING Cup firmly in their grasp until Harvey exploded to get his team home in the last over.

Unfortunately, he's already 28. Otherwise, he'd be odds on to soon be in the national ODI squad. Not that he can't still make it but it'd be great if he was 24 or so. Great effort, Kade Harvey !!

[Donny]

Yes, mate, what a great effort from The Warriors !

Harvey was a standout but has been bowling well all season. Blocker's effort was top drawer stuff too.

With Williams lost to the national squads, Nicho gone east, Clark injured and big Jo (and probably Wilson) retiring, The Warriors certainly do need to find a couple of young quality quicks for next season.